Nation's top mid-major player joins GCU

To grow the status of Grand Canyon basketball, the Lopes could use a prolific scorer with the experience of leading a team to a conference championship and an NCAA tournament appearance.

And if GCU fans already have in-person appreciation for the player and he has won a national award, all the better for the Lopes.

Brian Moore Jr., last seen scoring 17 points in Global Credit Union Arena, is joining GCU's roster as a graduate transfer after averaging 18.7 points, 3.3 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals for NCAA tournament qualifier Norfolk State.

Moore won the Lou Henson Award as the top mid-major player in the nation after being the only guard in the nation to average at least 18 points and shoot at least 52% from the field.

"Brian is coming off one of the most efficient seasons in college basketball last year," Lopes head coach Bryce Drew said. "He can score on all three levels and plays with a very high motor. His leadership and experience will be great assets for our team."

Brian Moore Jr. vs. GCU

The 6-foot-2 New York City native from Harlem showed his versatile, efficient game when Norfolk State played at GCU on Nov. 22. The Lopes won 91-73, but Moore scored 17 points and added three steals.

"The biggest thing for me is that, in the last two stops I've been at, the community, the city and the school really cared about basketball," Moore said. "I want to be a part of another program like that. Going to GCU to play this season, that actually helped because I saw the fan and community support and the school support. I wanted to be a part of something like that."

Moore's breakthrough season led Norfolk State to a 24-11 season and Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) regular-season and tournament titles. After shooting 46.5% from the field and 19.2% on 3-pointers for 9.2 points per game in the last of two Murray State seasons, Moore flourished in a larger role for Norfolk State this season.

In starting all 35 Spartans games, the combo guard doubled his scoring average and bumped his shooting percentages to 54.5% from the field (plus-8%) and 39.4% on 3-pointers (plus-20%). That was the highest shooting percentage for any player shorter than 6-3 in the nation. Moore also is a career 81% free throw shooter.

"The biggest thing is I really had a coach (Robert Jones) who believed in me because I'm going to put the work in," Moore said. "The work ethic never changed from any spot. The biggest thing is he really put me in positions to be successful and was pushing for me to be aggressive to score and make decisions for others."

Even as opponents' scouting reports focused more on him during the season, Moore delivered consistent results. He shot better than 50% from the field in each month, tallied three games of 30 or more points and was the MEAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player.

After starting his career as junior college All-American for one season at Northeast Oklahoma A&M, Moore has scored 1,126 career points in Division I.

"I'm an aggressive New York City point guard," Moore said. "I get downhill. I really get to the mid-range. I'm a really good three-level scorer, but I also use me ability to playmake and make others on my team better. But the biggest thing to describe me is I'm a winner. I know GCU does that, so I just want to add on to that culture."

Moore followed GCU more because Lopes standout Tyon Grant-Foster hosted him on a recruiting visit to DePaul in 2021. Before they reconnected as opponents at the GCU-Norlfolk State game in November, Moore thought he knew what he was entering for an environment amid the Havocs at Global Credit Union Arena. Before the game even tipped off, Moore said the Pregame Purple Party exceeded his expectations.

"It was an understatement," Moore said. "We played Stanford the day before and we heard that when we played GCU, it was going to be nothing like that. That it would be packed out and a raucous environment. Then we went out there, I was like, 'Wow, this is crazy.' I've never seen that many fans before the tip, even when we played at Tennessee."

That GCU visit helped Moore, who graduated in business, make a swift decision once he entered the transfer portal.

"This was actually the easiest decision as far as picking a college," Moore said. "I loved everything that the coaches had to say. I loved their game plan and the team they're building around me. I'm glad I committed early so Coach can fill the rest of the puzzle."

Moore's NCAA tournament experience was short-lived. Foul trouble kept him to a season-low six points in a season-low 18 minutes of Norfolk State's 95-69, first-round loss to eventual national champion Florida.

"Now it's time to get past that first day, and I think GCU gives me the best shot to do that," Moore said. "I'm just really excited to get out there and get to work."

Grand Canyon University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Tyon Grant-Foster

Brian Moore Jr.

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